Handling systems for receiving linear extrusions manufactured from a variety of materials are well known in the art. Continuous lines or conveyor belts, for example, are used to receive extrudate products discharged from extruders. Once the products are deposited on the conveyor, they may be transported to a next station in the manufacturing process, such as a storage location or curing oven. Typically, continuous linear extrudate exiting an extruder is deposited directly onto a continuously moving belt of the conveyor. Alternatively, the extrudate can be looped, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,964, between the extruder and receiving apparatus.
To obtain products having configurations such as rectangular door seals or the like, individual lengths of linear extrudate were Joined at their respective ends to create corners or bends to form the final seal shape, such as by a separate molding step. This additional process step increased the time and expense of manufacture and created potential operational problems. Specifically, the corner junctions of the final product might be weaker than the component lengths, which could result in potential seal failure points, or the Junctions might have a deformed or distorted cross-sectional configuration relative to the cross section of the extrudate lengths which were unattractive in their appearance, and could cause a reduction in seal efficiency.
The discovery of a method and apparatus for continuously manufacturing curved or bent extrusions having undistorted cross-sectional shapes, as set forth in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 07/207,838 to Miller (assigned to the assignee of the present application), eliminated the problem of joining extrudate lengths to make curvatures or bends, but also identified a shortcoming of existing conventional handling systems when used to receive the curved extrudate. Depending on the size, shape or material of the product being extruded, existing receiving systems did not provide the handling structure necessary to properly support the curved extrusions.
Extrudate support structure is particularly important in the case of rubber or polymer extrusions for use in automotive and appliance applications, for example, automobile and refrigerator door seals. Such extrusions include curved cross-sectional and longitudinal configurations. The use of existing handling systems to receive such extruded products may distort the curvature or cross-sectional configuration of the extrusions. Unless the curved extrusions are properly supported during cooling or curing, the weight of the extrusion, or its contact with the receiving apparatus, may distort the curved configuration of the extrusion along both its length and cross-section.